Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

There is a clear and obvious plan for ES. Its get them back in school, with masks, temp checks, and hand-washing. That's it.

Offer families two options: a full return to school option, and an entirely distance learning option.

These options offer tremendous benefit over the hybrid approach for a variety of reasons:
- Families with students that require more social interaction or face to face instruction can maximize their student’s time at school
- Families that rely on school for child care during core business hours will have a return to normal schedules
- Families that have at-risk children, or at-risk family members at home, can continue with distance learning
- Teachers that are at-risk can continue with distance instruction

This is also the safer model, compared to hybrid. In a hybrid situation, we are increasing some student’s exposure to other people, by having them to go school 1 to 2 days a week, and a childcare center the other days. The aforementioned options will limit their exposure, and arguably reduce community spread, when compared to a hybrid model.
This approach can also be tweaked to meet teacher and staff protection requirements. Perhaps instead of 5 days a week in the building, it is 4 days a week (with one day of asynchronous learning) to allow for deep cleaning of schools, lesson planning, and some much-needed relief for overworked teachers.

Of course, this approach does have some drawbacks. It will most likely require that children have a change in their teacher, or students that choose one option may not see their peers that choose the other. But a temporary disruption and change in teachers is a VERY small price to pay to provide our children the education they deserve.

Everyone wins in this situation. Well, maybe for the few teachers that would prefer to remain distance but be forced to return. But I suspect many families would opt for DL, so there will many spots for DL teaching.

Again, you are not addressing the issues in some of the elementary schools. Your school may be safe, new and well maintained but many are not. Temperature checks are just for show and meaningless. There is no way to do hand washing as most schools don't have enough sinks and used that as an excuse during flu season. Many schools don't have adequate HVAC/ventilation/windows and windows that open. Perhaps the leaky roofs provide some ventilation along with mold and other issues.

Look, this is the new normal. You need to meet your kids needs and hire child care. Right now school is no longer your free child care so you need to adjust your budget and meet your kids needs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

Here's a clear plan:

(1) soap in all of the bathrooms, masks required, bus windows open, no band or chorus, PE outside, recess outside (in all weather), lunch in classrooms, extra cleaning staff to clean the classrooms lunch is eaten in, everyone back to school full day five days a week except people enrolled in the statewide distance learning program
(2) a statewide distance learning program

The problem with this plan is not lack of clarity. The problem is that it's politically impossible. MCPS, plenty of teachers, and Hogan won't agree to it.

+1. That's basically the same idea I posted above. Two options. Keep it simple. I don't see how any families can object to this.

the only objection can be from the few teachers that will have to return against their will

Anonymous wrote:

You're being very reasonable and logical. Such thinking has no place in MCPS.

That's why so many MD school districts already have plans for a phase reopening or even have some kids already back, while MCPS doesn't even have a plan and hasn't been preparing at all.

Every excuse people make for MCPS -- overcrowding, old HVAC systems, not enough sinks -- apply to other districts in MD also, and yet they can pull it off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

Here's a clear plan:

(1) soap in all of the bathrooms, masks required, bus windows open, no band or chorus, PE outside, recess outside (in all weather), lunch in classrooms, extra cleaning staff to clean the classrooms lunch is eaten in, everyone back to school full day five days a week except people enrolled in the statewide distance learning program
(2) a statewide distance learning program

The problem with this plan is not lack of clarity. The problem is that it's politically impossible. MCPS, plenty of teachers, and Hogan won't agree to it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

There is a clear and obvious plan for ES. Its get them back in school, with masks, temp checks, and hand-washing. That's it.

Offer families two options: a full return to school option, and an entirely distance learning option.

These options offer tremendous benefit over the hybrid approach for a variety of reasons:
- Families with students that require more social interaction or face to face instruction can maximize their student’s time at school
- Families that rely on school for child care during core business hours will have a return to normal schedules
- Families that have at-risk children, or at-risk family members at home, can continue with distance learning
- Teachers that are at-risk can continue with distance instruction

This is also the safer model, compared to hybrid. In a hybrid situation, we are increasing some student’s exposure to other people, by having them to go school 1 to 2 days a week, and a childcare center the other days. The aforementioned options will limit their exposure, and arguably reduce community spread, when compared to a hybrid model.
This approach can also be tweaked to meet teacher and staff protection requirements. Perhaps instead of 5 days a week in the building, it is 4 days a week (with one day of asynchronous learning) to allow for deep cleaning of schools, lesson planning, and some much-needed relief for overworked teachers.

Of course, this approach does have some drawbacks. It will most likely require that children have a change in their teacher, or students that choose one option may not see their peers that choose the other. But a temporary disruption and change in teachers is a VERY small price to pay to provide our children the education they deserve.

Everyone wins in this situation. Well, maybe for the few teachers that would prefer to remain distance but be forced to return. But I suspect many families would opt for DL, so there will many spots for DL teaching.

Again, you are not addressing the issues in some of the elementary schools. Your school may be safe, new and well maintained but many are not. Temperature checks are just for show and meaningless. There is no way to do hand washing as most schools don't have enough sinks and used that as an excuse during flu season. Many schools don't have adequate HVAC/ventilation/windows and windows that open. Perhaps the leaky roofs provide some ventilation along with mold and other issues.

Look, this is the new normal. You need to meet your kids needs and hire child care. Right now school is no longer your free child care so you need to adjust your budget and meet your kids needs.

It does address that by saying you are not required to return to any building you do not think is safe.

If your school is like that, then pick the DL option.

Its not an either or. You don't get to choose. And, address the real issues. Look, we get you want your kids out of your house/child care regardless of age but you may think differently when they catch or re-catch covid and its serious. Sadly we need a few very sick or dead kids or teachers to get people like you to take it more seriously. Even then, you'll find a way to justify it and its not your kids or family so lets still go back.

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

There is a clear and obvious plan for ES. Its get them back in school, with masks, temp checks, and hand-washing. That's it.

Offer families two options: a full return to school option, and an entirely distance learning option.

These options offer tremendous benefit over the hybrid approach for a variety of reasons:
- Families with students that require more social interaction or face to face instruction can maximize their student’s time at school
- Families that rely on school for child care during core business hours will have a return to normal schedules
- Families that have at-risk children, or at-risk family members at home, can continue with distance learning
- Teachers that are at-risk can continue with distance instruction

This is also the safer model, compared to hybrid. In a hybrid situation, we are increasing some student’s exposure to other people, by having them to go school 1 to 2 days a week, and a childcare center the other days. The aforementioned options will limit their exposure, and arguably reduce community spread, when compared to a hybrid model.
This approach can also be tweaked to meet teacher and staff protection requirements. Perhaps instead of 5 days a week in the building, it is 4 days a week (with one day of asynchronous learning) to allow for deep cleaning of schools, lesson planning, and some much-needed relief for overworked teachers.

Of course, this approach does have some drawbacks. It will most likely require that children have a change in their teacher, or students that choose one option may not see their peers that choose the other. But a temporary disruption and change in teachers is a VERY small price to pay to provide our children the education they deserve.

Everyone wins in this situation. Well, maybe for the few teachers that would prefer to remain distance but be forced to return. But I suspect many families would opt for DL, so there will many spots for DL teaching.

Again, you are not addressing the issues in some of the elementary schools. Your school may be safe, new and well maintained but many are not. Temperature checks are just for show and meaningless. There is no way to do hand washing as most schools don't have enough sinks and used that as an excuse during flu season. Many schools don't have adequate HVAC/ventilation/windows and windows that open. Perhaps the leaky roofs provide some ventilation along with mold and other issues.

Look, this is the new normal. You need to meet your kids needs and hire child care. Right now school is no longer your free child care so you need to adjust your budget and meet your kids needs.

It does address that by saying you are not required to return to any building you do not think is safe.

If your school is like that, then pick the DL option.

Its not an either or. You don't get to choose. And, address the real issues. Look, we get you want your kids out of your house/child care regardless of age but you may think differently when they catch or re-catch covid and its serious. Sadly we need a few very sick or dead kids or teachers to get people like you to take it more seriously. Even then, you'll find a way to justify it and its not your kids or family so lets still go back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

There is a clear and obvious plan for ES. Its get them back in school, with masks, temp checks, and hand-washing. That's it.

Offer families two options: a full return to school option, and an entirely distance learning option.

These options offer tremendous benefit over the hybrid approach for a variety of reasons:
- Families with students that require more social interaction or face to face instruction can maximize their student’s time at school
- Families that rely on school for child care during core business hours will have a return to normal schedules
- Families that have at-risk children, or at-risk family members at home, can continue with distance learning
- Teachers that are at-risk can continue with distance instruction

This is also the safer model, compared to hybrid. In a hybrid situation, we are increasing some student’s exposure to other people, by having them to go school 1 to 2 days a week, and a childcare center the other days. The aforementioned options will limit their exposure, and arguably reduce community spread, when compared to a hybrid model.
This approach can also be tweaked to meet teacher and staff protection requirements. Perhaps instead of 5 days a week in the building, it is 4 days a week (with one day of asynchronous learning) to allow for deep cleaning of schools, lesson planning, and some much-needed relief for overworked teachers.

Of course, this approach does have some drawbacks. It will most likely require that children have a change in their teacher, or students that choose one option may not see their peers that choose the other. But a temporary disruption and change in teachers is a VERY small price to pay to provide our children the education they deserve.

Everyone wins in this situation. Well, maybe for the few teachers that would prefer to remain distance but be forced to return. But I suspect many families would opt for DL, so there will many spots for DL teaching.

Again, you are not addressing the issues in some of the elementary schools. Your school may be safe, new and well maintained but many are not. Temperature checks are just for show and meaningless. There is no way to do hand washing as most schools don't have enough sinks and used that as an excuse during flu season. Many schools don't have adequate HVAC/ventilation/windows and windows that open. Perhaps the leaky roofs provide some ventilation along with mold and other issues.

Look, this is the new normal. You need to meet your kids needs and hire child care. Right now school is no longer your free child care so you need to adjust your budget and meet your kids needs.

It does address that by saying you are not required to return to any building you do not think is safe.

If your school is like that, then pick the DL option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

There is a clear and obvious plan for ES. Its get them back in school, with masks, temp checks, and hand-washing. That's it.

Offer families two options: a full return to school option, and an entirely distance learning option.

These options offer tremendous benefit over the hybrid approach for a variety of reasons:
- Families with students that require more social interaction or face to face instruction can maximize their student’s time at school
- Families that rely on school for child care during core business hours will have a return to normal schedules
- Families that have at-risk children, or at-risk family members at home, can continue with distance learning
- Teachers that are at-risk can continue with distance instruction

This is also the safer model, compared to hybrid. In a hybrid situation, we are increasing some student’s exposure to other people, by having them to go school 1 to 2 days a week, and a childcare center the other days. The aforementioned options will limit their exposure, and arguably reduce community spread, when compared to a hybrid model.
This approach can also be tweaked to meet teacher and staff protection requirements. Perhaps instead of 5 days a week in the building, it is 4 days a week (with one day of asynchronous learning) to allow for deep cleaning of schools, lesson planning, and some much-needed relief for overworked teachers.

Of course, this approach does have some drawbacks. It will most likely require that children have a change in their teacher, or students that choose one option may not see their peers that choose the other. But a temporary disruption and change in teachers is a VERY small price to pay to provide our children the education they deserve.

Everyone wins in this situation. Well, maybe for the few teachers that would prefer to remain distance but be forced to return. But I suspect many families would opt for DL, so there will many spots for DL teaching.

Again, you are not addressing the issues in some of the elementary schools. Your school may be safe, new and well maintained but many are not. Temperature checks are just for show and meaningless. There is no way to do hand washing as most schools don't have enough sinks and used that as an excuse during flu season. Many schools don't have adequate HVAC/ventilation/windows and windows that open. Perhaps the leaky roofs provide some ventilation along with mold and other issues.

Look, this is the new normal. You need to meet your kids needs and hire child care. Right now school is no longer your free child care so you need to adjust your budget and meet your kids needs.

It does address that by saying you are not required to return to any building you do not think is safe.

If your school is like that, then pick the DL option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

Well, you put it this way and it’s apparent that MCPS and county leadership’s failure is complete.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

There is a clear and obvious plan for ES. Its get them back in school, with masks, temp checks, and hand-washing. That's it.

Offer families two options: a full return to school option, and an entirely distance learning option.

These options offer tremendous benefit over the hybrid approach for a variety of reasons:
- Families with students that require more social interaction or face to face instruction can maximize their student’s time at school
- Families that rely on school for child care during core business hours will have a return to normal schedules
- Families that have at-risk children, or at-risk family members at home, can continue with distance learning
- Teachers that are at-risk can continue with distance instruction

This is also the safer model, compared to hybrid. In a hybrid situation, we are increasing some student’s exposure to other people, by having them to go school 1 to 2 days a week, and a childcare center the other days. The aforementioned options will limit their exposure, and arguably reduce community spread, when compared to a hybrid model.
This approach can also be tweaked to meet teacher and staff protection requirements. Perhaps instead of 5 days a week in the building, it is 4 days a week (with one day of asynchronous learning) to allow for deep cleaning of schools, lesson planning, and some much-needed relief for overworked teachers.

Of course, this approach does have some drawbacks. It will most likely require that children have a change in their teacher, or students that choose one option may not see their peers that choose the other. But a temporary disruption and change in teachers is a VERY small price to pay to provide our children the education they deserve.

Everyone wins in this situation. Well, maybe for the few teachers that would prefer to remain distance but be forced to return. But I suspect many families would opt for DL, so there will many spots for DL teaching.

Again, you are not addressing the issues in some of the elementary schools. Your school may be safe, new and well maintained but many are not. Temperature checks are just for show and meaningless. There is no way to do hand washing as most schools don't have enough sinks and used that as an excuse during flu season. Many schools don't have adequate HVAC/ventilation/windows and windows that open. Perhaps the leaky roofs provide some ventilation along with mold and other issues.

Look, this is the new normal. You need to meet your kids needs and hire child care. Right now school is no longer your free child care so you need to adjust your budget and meet your kids needs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

There is a clear and obvious plan for ES. Its get them back in school, with masks, temp checks, and hand-washing. That's it.

Offer families two options: a full return to school option, and an entirely distance learning option.

These options offer tremendous benefit over the hybrid approach for a variety of reasons:
- Families with students that require more social interaction or face to face instruction can maximize their student’s time at school
- Families that rely on school for child care during core business hours will have a return to normal schedules
- Families that have at-risk children, or at-risk family members at home, can continue with distance learning
- Teachers that are at-risk can continue with distance instruction

This is also the safer model, compared to hybrid. In a hybrid situation, we are increasing some student’s exposure to other people, by having them to go school 1 to 2 days a week, and a childcare center the other days. The aforementioned options will limit their exposure, and arguably reduce community spread, when compared to a hybrid model.
This approach can also be tweaked to meet teacher and staff protection requirements. Perhaps instead of 5 days a week in the building, it is 4 days a week (with one day of asynchronous learning) to allow for deep cleaning of schools, lesson planning, and some much-needed relief for overworked teachers.

Of course, this approach does have some drawbacks. It will most likely require that children have a change in their teacher, or students that choose one option may not see their peers that choose the other. But a temporary disruption and change in teachers is a VERY small price to pay to provide our children the education they deserve.

Everyone wins in this situation. Well, maybe for the few teachers that would prefer to remain distance but be forced to return. But I suspect many families would opt for DL, so there will many spots for DL teaching.

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.

Anonymous wrote:No one is providing a clear plan except to rant. Older schools don’t have and hvac system and are on a water boiler system. They don’t have the duct for an hvac. Many of these schools need to be torn down like ours but they only get done when things are so bad and they usually only do one at a time. The money goes to the rich schools where parents advocate and some of those schools have had multiple renovations. Your schools are probably ok, ours are not but since they all fall under mcps you cannot open. You need to advocate for the schools not up to standards, not just yours. Instead of all that Astro turf we could have had a new roof and working windows.